Part 2 of The Other Side of Tomorrow: WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE UP ON YOUR STORY--DON'T by Tina Cho

 Last week I interviewed the illustrator of The Other Side of Tomorrow, Deb JJ Lee. If you missed it, you can find it here. 

Today I interview myself. Giving myself a pep-talk and walk down memory lane, letting Grog Blog readers listen in. Perhaps, you're in a frustrated state with your manuscripts and want to give up. This is for you.

Tina,

You had a great story idea, wanting to share with readers about North Korean children who escape along the Asian Underground Railroad. You did lots of research and even interviewed two North Korean boys and several adults along with a pastor who helped with escapes. Remember, back in 2012 when you thought this could be a picture book story? You put your critique group through the wringer, revising and sending it to them over a two-year span, 16 drafts, until some of them said, it should be something bigger--a chapter book. Listen to your critique partners, especially, if they are wiser than you, in this publishing business!

The DMZ between North & South Korea

                            

But you didn't know how to write a chapter book or middle grade novel. But I'm glad you didn't let that get you down. You sought help. Thankfully, a writing mentor, Nancy I. Sanders, had a self-paced class on writing chapter books & MG novels in one month. While you homeschooled your two children in Korea, you applied what you learned and transformed this picture book story into a middle grade novel. You sent it out to some beta readers and revised 4x accordingly. Then, you were bold to take a chance on sending it to a contest! The Scholastic Asia Book Award at Singapore's Asian Festival of Children's Content. What a surprise when it was shortlisted! At this time, you were teaching at an international school in Uijongbu (S.Korea) & flew to Singapore. Your novel, titled Chasing Freedom: The Asian Underground Railroad won 1st Runner Up (2nd place)! And Leonard Marcus, the American picture book historian, author, & critic, was one of the judges! Scholastic Asia wanted to publish it. But in consulting other professionals, you decided to wait.

In 2016, you signed with an agent. Adria Goetz revised the novel with you, sent it out, and it received 11 rejections. You were wondering if it'd ever be published in the U.S. Listen to the editorial rejection comments. They might give clues how to fix the story. In July 2018, based on an editor's comments, Adria asked you to rewrite it as a novel-in-verse. But once again, you didn't know how to write a novel-in-verse. You were proactive and learned. You didn't let being overseas and not having access to an English library distress you. You took advantage of SCBWI novel-in-verse webinars. When you visited family in the states in summer, you read as many verse novels as you could. And you rewrote. Again. and Again. Adria even asked you to change the title (since there was another book by the former title). So you worked on The Tune Without Words until March 2019 when you hit a brick wall. Or maybe that brick wall should be the Korean mountains. Whatever it was, you got stuck. Afraid. Self-doubt. Who were you to be writing IN VERSE? You weren't even a poet. And you quit. There was silence between you and your agent. You quit revising. Adria heard nothing. And 5000 miles between Seoul and Seattle, she felt something was amiss. So she CALLED you! 

Tina with her agent, Adria Goetz

You remember sitting on your bed, listening to her pep talk, her encouraging words. And you picked your pen back up and got to work. Everyone needs an encouraging agent! You did 5 revisions as a novel-in-verse. And then...

Five months later you received the contract. More rounds of revisions with your editor. The book was to publish in 2022.

On June 19, 2019, an email arrived from editor Carolina Oritz of Harper Alley, Harper Collins new graphic novel imprint. Would you be interested in turning this into a graphic novel? You were amazed and flabbergasted. You had never read a graphic novel before. Would you be up to it? Carolina had the perfect illustrator, a Korean American, living in CA at the time who drew comics. You were flexible. You considered something outside your comfort zone. You went to the library and checked out Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust. It was lovely! And beautiful! Nothing like comics from the Sunday newspapers you read growing up. After seeing a sample sketch of one of your novel-in-verse poems, you fell in love. 

However, illustrating a graphic novel takes a LONG, LONG time. More time was needed. More revisions. How about another title change? So the third and final title is The Other Side of Tomorrow. To publish November 12, 2024, about 12 years from the date you first interviewed those two North Korean boys. 

What did you learn? Never give up on your manuscript. You might need to find the right format in telling your story. Listen to your critique partners, agent, editor. Be open to change. Be flexible. When you don't know, find out. Take classes. Go to the library and study books. 

Because in the end, you now have a shiny work of art that has garnered 4 starred reviews (Kirkus, SLJ, PW, Booklist) is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, with a French edition coming in March 2025, and many other great things that are still secret...

*Starred review from Kirkus: Told from their alternating perspectives in welcoming, conversational verse, Yunho’s and Myunghee’s suspenseful, harrowing journeys provide readers with a realistic and devastating portrayal of life under one of the most oppressive regimes in the world.

​*Starred review from ALA Booklist: Yes, Cho’s graphic novel in verse is an extraordinary dual-voiced narrative, but what makes this title unforgettable is phenomenal, Ignatz-winning artist Lee’s (In Limbo, 2023) breathtaking artwork...masterpiece.

*Starred review from School Library Journal: Cho’s vibrant, elegant writing style beautifully captures the pain, fear, courage, and resilience of the characters featured in this text. Lee’s illustrations greatly enhance the text’s mood and capture both the courageous adventure of a lifetime and the spirit of a community willing to risk their lives to give those seeking freedom a fighting chance.VERDICT This gut-wrenching story of hope and resilience needs to find its way to all readers’ hands.

*Starred review from Publisher's Weekly: This gripping graphic novel by Cho (God’s Little Astronomer) and Lee (In Limbo) about childhood under dictator Kim Jong Un balances horror and wonder in both its poetic language and vibrant imagery. Lee’s dynamic Procreate illustrations emphasize light and shadow to brilliantly illuminate the tweens’ harrowing situations in this intimate, cohesive collaboration.

Please read The Other Side of Tomorrow, leave a review, and request it at your library. For more information about the story, read this post on Harper Stacks which I wrote! And check out the Educator's Guide I wrote. Thank you! 

How did I celebrate the book birthday? At school til 8pm for parent teacher conferences! Thank you, everyone, for cheering this book on!

Tina Cho is the author of Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans (Little Bee Books), Korean Celebrations (Tuttle), My Breakfast with Jesus: Worshipping God around the World (Harvest House), The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story (Kokila/Penguin Random House), God’s Little Astronomer (Waterbrook), God’s Little Oceanographer June 2025, & The Princess & the Grain of Rice (FSG Fall 2025). Her lyrical middle grade graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, published from Harper Alley 11/12/2024. After living in South Korea for ten years, Tina, her husband, and two kids reside in Iowa where Tina also teaches kindergarten.